You have to create an account to download updated graphics drivers? Bad move, Qualcomm.

You'd think that Surface devices in particular would just get it pushed through Windows Update...

> Currently, graphics drivers are distributed by each OEM via Windows Update. Qualcomm plans to release drivers directly to consumers soon.

https://www.qualcomm.com/drivers

I think that's a really dumb move. It essentially cripples the default experience and non-technical folks will just assume the product sucks.

Ideally, drivers would be available both through Windows update and directly from the chip designer. Gamers in particular are already accustomed to seeking out driver updates manually, especially to get timely fixes relating to recently-released games.

Thus far, driver updates for Qualcomm GPUs have not only been available only through Windows Update, they've been released on a different timeline for different OEMs: a Samsung Galaxy Book and a Microsoft Surface Laptop containing the same chip can have significantly different "latest" GPU driver versions. So getting updates direct from Qualcomm could be an improvement for users of laptops with OEMs that are slow to publish updates. But if this new driver direct from Qualcomm is really just for Surface devices as the headline implies, it's not that much of a change for the broader ecosystem.

Those drivers aren't Surface only but there are catches.

ThinkPad T14s for example can use those just fine but Yoga Slim 7x doesn't have Qualcomm's generic signing key allowed for GPU firmware signing but only Lenovo's.

Samsung devices are the other case that is blocked by this installer. Outside of the Yoga Slim 7x and the Samsung devices, these drivers are generic.

Technical folks will also assume Qualcomm are clowns and the product sucks.

Vendors have been getting worse about this. One day we'll probably end up with a situation where everything is like enterprise hardware, and you'll need an account with an active support subscription to download the newest drivers / firmware.

don't you put that evil on me

Gotta get that user data, can't possibly miss on the Data Boom!

Good news, they just retired GeForce Experience, and the new Nvidia app which replaced it doesn't require a login anymore.

I really hope that means I can leave my joystick plugged in and my system will properly go to sleep now. That has to have been the most annoying Geforce Experience bug ever.

It looks like their new app fixes that problem!

And they rolled out a new driver search that sucks!

I mean for me at least, it's not even a privacy concern, it's a fucking hassle. I do not want nor will I ever, in all likelihood, want a Qualcomm account, nor do I want an account on whatever other shit-splat website I'm gonna visit one time every few years to download one thing I need. There is no reason at all to put a download like this behind an account. A captcha MAYBE, if you find your website being hit by bots a lot, I guess? But it's 2024, nearly 2025. Bandwidth is dirt cheap.

Would be good to see some real benchmarks rather than just having them state that the FPS will increase in certain games.

That's entirely typical for graphics driver release notes.

Usually true, too. Particularly new AAA games typically run noticeably better after the "day one" driver update.

Tangential question, but if I were to hunt for a as powerful as one can get linux arm laptop these days, what are the options outside of macs/asahi?

Synaptics does the same. They only distribute to OEMs. So if your OEM doesn't update the driver you're stuck. Worse yet, if you don't want the OEM's customizations you're stuck.

Dell used to distribute their touchpad drivers without edge-motion. So I had to force a driver from Lenovo's website to get the standard UI to work.